8 Secret Ingredients to Creating a Tuscan Style Kitchen

Is it the peaceful, rolling hills of the Italian countryside, the quant cobblestone streets, the rich taste of wine straight from the vineyard, or the robust flavors and aroma of Tuscan cuisine?  It’s hard to put into words the charm and allure of Tuscany, but it’s something we often try to emulate in our cooking, building, and decorating.  If you’re looking to bring a little piece of Tuscany into your home, creating a Tuscan style kitchen may be the perfect way to do so.  Here are a few ideas to get you inspired:

-Color: Use varying shades of yellow and orange, like gold and burnt terracotta, as the cornerstone of your design, especially on the walls.  But don’t be afraid to use pops of color, like flaming red, luminous blue, and emerald green in your accent pieces.

-Walls: Intricately layered walls will give your kitchen that Old World charm.  To create this effect, try a painting technique, such as sponging or antiquing.  If you aren’t familiar with these forms of painting, you may want to hire a professional for optimal results.  If you decide to take on the challenge yourself, home improvement stores have books and specialty paint and utensils to help you master these techniques.

-Cabinets: Rich, dark tones are best suited for your cabinetry.  Also, you’ll often find cabinets without doors in a Tuscan themed kitchen, in which you can display your kitchen accessories (see Accessories below).

-Backsplash: The kitchen backsplash is often regarded as the heart and soul of a Tuscan kitchen, and it can make a big splash in your room.  Rust, gold, cream, and green are popular color choices for the backsplash.  You may also want to consider a mural made of tumbled stone tiles to bring out the iconic Tuscan spirit in the space.

-Counters: Stone counters, such as granite, slate, and travertine, are essential to your Tuscan inspired kitchen.

-Floors: For your flooring, stone or quarry tiles in earthy shades will capture the essence of the Tuscan décor.  These flooring choices will make you and your visitors feel like you are standing in the heart of a Tuscan villa.

-Furniture:  Dining with the family continues to be a symbol of Italian tradition and culture, so a large kitchen table holds a great deal of significance.  Luxurious table linens and chair cushions in sultry shades can add extra interest and style to your table.   In addition, an island is another integral part of a Tuscan themed kitchen.

-Accessories: Displaying actual kitchen items is the best way to accessorize your cooking space.  Rustic dinnerware, urns, spices in glass jars, pots and pans on metal racks, copper and pewter vessels, potted herbs, wine accessories, wrought iron candle holders-- all are perfect finishing touches to your Tuscan kitchen.

With these suggestions (and a little help from your friends at Pizazz Floors), you’ll be on your way to creating a true Italian kitchen.  Then instead of dreaming of that little café in Tuscany, just grab some family, friends, food, (and of course the vino) and enjoy your own Tuscan inspired kitchen.

Spotting the PizazzFloors.com Truck Could Be Worth up to $250!

Where’s Waldo?  Who cares?!  But spotting the PizazzFloors.com truck could save you up to $250!   After just getting our new work truck wrapped in vinyl lettering from In-Depth Wraps, we are ready to show it off!   To get our customers involved, we’re going to make it worth your while to find this new cherry red F-150.   If you spot the PizazzFloors.com truck anywhere around town, just post exactly when and where you saw it on our Facebook wall, and we’ll give you $150 off your next design project with us.  To sweeten the deal, if you snap a picture of the truck and post it, we’ll make it $250 off!   Use your discount towards hardwood, carpet, tile, granite, kitchen & bath remodeling, or whatever your home design need might be.  We realize you may not be ready to do a home renovation right now, so your discount will be good for up to six months from the time you spotted the Pizazz truck.

Plus, check our Facebook page often for updates, because we are also going to be giving away gift cards to local restaurants just for finding the Pizazz truck with no purchase necessary.

With all the driving we do around Metro Atlanta, it won’t be hard to find us.   Just keep an eye out, and you could save some cash!

Rules:  Does not apply if Pizazz truck is in your driveway for consultation.  Pizazz must verify that the time and place the truck was spotted is accurate.  Limit one discount per household.  Not valid with any other offers or for previously contracted jobs.  Project must total $2500 or more.

8 Ways to Get Your Home Ready to Sell

1. Plant flowers. You’ve always heard first impressions are the most important.  Well the same holds true with your home.  Pull those weeds, trim those bushes, and plant some flowers!  Flowers can add a pop of color and make your home more appealing from the onset.

2. Limit the number of personal items you have on display. You want buyers to be able to envision themselves in your home, and too many pictures of Grandma Jean or drawings from little Johnny can make that more difficult to do.

3. Paint. A fresh coat of paint can take a drab room and make it beautiful for less than a hundred bucks.  When selling your home, try to stick with neutral, earth tones that will appeal to a wider range of buyers.

4. Make use of ambient lighting. Get rid of any fluorescent or bright lighting and replace with softer, more inviting light.  Make use of your natural light by pulling back curtains or opening blinds, and light a few candles for a calm and warm ambience.

5. Update with home improvements. This of course is a little more costly, but can really enhance your home and pay off in the long run.  The two improvements that yield the highest return on investment are granite countertops and hardwood floors.  Homebuyers see the value in these updates, and they can make your home stand out from comparable houses that are lacking.  If granite and hardwood aren’t in the budget, consider a tile backsplash or adding trim, like crown molding or a chair rail.  These can make a room look grand without even spending a grand!

6. Organize and Clean, Clean, Clean. This one is a given, but nevertheless very important.  Always make sure your home is clean and tidy before a showing, and remove any clutter.  You want potential homebuyers to see the beauty in your home, and unorganized clutter can cover that up and give buyers a sense of anxiety when viewing your home.

7. Change out any outdated light fixtures. Outdated light fixtures can make a room look and feel old and dingy.  This is an affordable and quick update that is especially important in bathrooms, where it’s hard to miss a light fixture that’s been around since the 70’s.

8. Add some indoor plants. Plants are an easy and affordable way to decorate.  They are a great way to fill space, and they add life and color to any room.